Tuesday, 28 June 2011

This COI is so important that it must not be nobbled like every other report our ruling elite get their hands on

Team Voice want to keep you up to date on any developments concerning the TOR's

In the statement released by the Chief Minister on the previous Blog Posting the Chief Minister said that his department had now engaged with an independent facilitator with expertise in the field of public enquiries; this person is Ed Marsden from Verita.

Now, my own concern about this is that Ed Marsden has already carried out work for the States of Jersey. Having said that, the Verita Report was damning - is he what you would call independent if he's now picking up work so easily? These are just my views and I would hope that others will express theirs.

As far as I know, no Abuse Survivors have had any input into the setting up or TOR's of this COI.

Let me ask the readers what you think the Terms of Reference should include. If it was me I would want the local Media included, they really have been a disgrace

Wednesday, 22 June 2011

On March 1st 2010 the States of Jersey voted for a Committee of Enquiry

Things are moving about as fast as a Massy Ferguson with One Wheel

We will now be keeping a close eye on this and posting updates on"VoiceforJersey"

Let us now look at the Statement released By the Chief Minister this week. I have highlighted in Red where I see problems with this statement.

Statement by the Chief Minister

Historical Child Abuse: Committee of Inquiry Terms of Reference

On the 1st March 2011, the States’ Assembly agreed by 37 votes to 11 that there should be a Committee of Inquiry to investigate some unresolved issues in relation to historical child abuse in the Island. The States also approved four points that the Committee of Inquiry should consider and asked the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers to establish such a Committee.

During that debate, and indeed since then, there have been representations from interested parties about the need for further consultation on the terms of reference for any inquiry given the different opinions as to the purpose of the inquiry and what the investigation needs to achieve. The Council of Ministers have wrestled with this issue and the imperative for the inquiry to have a clear purpose with clear terms of reference. I have no doubt that whatever terms of reference are finally agreed, that some parties will not be satisfied as their views on the purpose will be different.

I discussed this matter with Senator Le Gresley and Deputies Hill and Tadier who had brought successful amendments to the Council of Ministers original proposition not to have a Committee of Inquiry. I am pleased that we all agreed at this meeting that we needed some independent expert help from an external body to seek the views of interested parties and recommend terms of reference to the Council of Ministers with various options on how an inquiry of this nature might be conducted in Jersey. It needs to be made clear here that under the States of Jersey Law, it would be for the Committee of Inquiry to ultimately determine how the investigation would be conducted.

Senator Le Gresley attended the Council of Ministers on 16th June and reported back on the meeting. The Chief Minister’s Department has now begun to engage with an independent facilitator with expertise in the field of public inquiries in the UK, and with the benefit of knowledge of the Island, to take this idea forward as a matter of urgency. I hope that this initial piece of work will take weeks rather than months and given States business is unlikely to be debated until the autumn.

As you can see we have a problem with all of it. I don't know what we do if im honest. Yes, there must a Committee of Enquiry but we don't trust this present Government one little bit.

I fully trust Senator Le Gresley and Deputies Hill & Tadier but lets not forget how the Chief Minister shafted Deputy Hill concerning the Napier Report. Deputy Hill was meant to have oversight and we know what happened to that.

Just look at the bit concerning the terms of reference. Since when has a minor problem like TOR's concerned this present lot? Remember part D of the Napier Review and Verita they just dropped and changed as they pleased.

This expertise must have some knowledge in Child Abuse Enquiries

This is just the first posting of many concerning the "COI" and I hope people will leave their views on the comment section. This COI is so important to so many people it cant be sabotaged like everything else

Roughly 40 members of This Government & the ruling elite don't give a damn about the Abuse Survivors you can see this through their voting over the last couple of years.